Ornamental grille and fender guard



Aug. s, 1939.

G. A, LYON ORNAMENTAL GRILLE AND FENDER GURD Filed July 29, 1937 3Sheets-Sheet l @is cyr y @0905 /L 515er lyofv.

Aug. 8, 1939. G. A. LYON 2,168,354

ORNAMENTAL GRILLE AND FENDER GUARD Filed July 29, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Aug. 8, 1939. G. A. LYON 2,168,354

ORNAMENTAL GRILLE AND FENDER GUARD Filed July 29,. 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 32E?- ff.

Patented ug. 8, 1939 UNiTfEo STATES @PATENT OFFICE 2,168,354 ORNAMENTALGRILLE AND* FENDER GUARDl George Albert Lyon, Allenhurst, N. J.Application July Z9, 1937, Serial No. 156,281

20 Claims. (Cl. 293-55) This invention relates to ornamental grille andfender guards, and more particularly to ornamental auxiliary impactmembers which will increase the protection afforded by a vehicle bumper.Although the usual vehicle bumper or impact member which is universallyemployed on automobiles of the present day is satisfactory under mostcircumstances, it has been found that in many instances it is desirableto increase the protection which is afforded by the bumper or impactmember by mounting thereon an auxiliary guard or impact member whichextends upwardly from the main bumper. This has been found to beparticularly desirable where relatively expensive cast grilled radiatorfront and expensive fender constructions are employed on the vehicle.The increased protection which is afforded by the auxiliary impactmember prevents overhanging objects or unusually high` bumpers on othervehicles fromv riding over the top of the main bumper and breaking orcrushing the cast grilled radiator front and fenders.

In view of the fact that the auxiliary impact member can only be securedat its 4lower end, it is highly important that it be constructed ofmaterial which is sufficiently strong to resist the usual impacts towhich a vehicle bumper is subjected and also that it be secured to thevehicle in such a manner that it cannot be ripped olf. From a commercialstandpoint, it is also desirable that the auxiliary impact member orguard be equipped with mounting means which will permit the impactmember or guard to be readily and quickly mounted on a vehicle bumperand preferably with a minimum amount of alterationto the form ofconstruction of the bumper.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel ornamental grilleand fender guard having the above highly desirable characteristics.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel auxiliary impactmember for bumpers which is economical to manufacture, which is readilyand quickly assembled on the usual form of vehicle bumper, and which isrugged and reliable in use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel bumperaccessory or auxiliary impact member which may be detachably mounted ona vehicle bumper by means carried solely by the auxiliary impact member.

Another and further object of this invention isv to provide an auxiliaryimpact member for bumpers having novel means thereon for detachablysecuring the same to the bumper.

Another and still` further object of'this4 invention is to provide anovel assembly of auxiliary impact members of a novel form which willincrease the protection to an automative vehicle which is afforded bythe usual bumper construction. tiA

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my inventionare set forth with particularity inthe appended claims. My inventionitself, however, both as to its organization and manner of construction,together with further 10 objects and advantages thereof, may best beunderstood by reference to the following description, taken` inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a bumper IIS.r having anauxiliary impact member thereon embodying features of the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a Vsider elevational View, partly in cross-section, of. the.auxiliary impact member shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 illustrates the manner in which the auxiliary impact member ofFigure l is assembled on a vehicle bumper;

Figure 4 illustrates two auxiliary impact members of the form shown inFigure 1 mounted on 25 a vehicle bumper;

Figure 5 isa front elevational View of an auxiliary impact member whichis generally similar in shape to that shown in Figure l, but which isprovided with a different means for securing the 30` same to a vehiclebumper;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view, partly in cross section,v oftheauxiliary impact member shown in Figure 5; n

Figure 7 illustrates a different embodiment of 351, the presentinvention, in .which a plurality of auxiliary impact members are mountedon a vehicle bumper, the central member of which is the same as thatshown in Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a top view of the front portion of 40 an automobile whichris, equipped with the three auxiliary impact members shown in Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a side elevational View, showing one of the outer auxiliaryimpact members of Figures 7 and 8; l

Figure 10` illustrates the manner in which the rear end of each outerauxiliary impact member of Figures l and 8 is securedto thevehicle; Y

Figure 11 is a front elevational view of a different formv of auxiliaryimpact member constructed inaccordance with the teachings of the presentinvention; K

Figure l2 is a rear elevational view of the auxi liary.y impact memberof Figure l1;

Figure lis;arsideelevational.view, partly in cross-section, of theauxiliary impact member of Figure 11; and

Figure 14 illustrates the manner in which the auxiliary impact member ofFigure 11 is assembled on a vehicle bumper.

The embodiment of this invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of thedrawings includes an ornamental auxiliary impact member or bumperaccessory Ill which is centrally mounted on a main bumper or impactmember il. As will at once be apparent from an inspection of these threefigures, the auxiliary impact member IIJ is formed in the shape of aninverted U, including a crown portion I2 and legs I3 and I4. A portionof the legs I3 and I is shaped to intimately overlie and engage thefront face of the bumper I I.

As may be seen best in Figure 2 of the drawings, the leg I3 terminatesin an upturned portion I5 which is adapted to engage the rear face ofthe bumper II. The end portion I6 of the leg I 4 which is initiallysubstantially longer than the end portion of the leg I3 is first bentback on itself for a distance equal to substantially onehalf of thevertical width of the bumper I I, asindicated at I'I, and then it isbent to extend approximately half way across the open face of the U, asindicated at I8. At approximately the midpoint of the open face of theU, the end portion I6 is bent upwardly, forwardly and downwardly to forma. hook-shaped tip I9 which is adapted to be snapped over the top of thebumper I I.

While any of a wide varietyv of materials may be employed inconstructing the auxiliary impact members, it has been found that asuitable grade of spring steel or some other equivalent resilient metalis preferable in the construction of auxiliary impact members embodyingthe principles of the present invention.

The manner in which the auxiliary impact I is mounted on the bumper IIis illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. 'Ihe hook-shaped tip I9 andthe cross piece I8 of the impact member I0 is rst slipped up behind thebumper II, and the tip portion I9 hooked over the bumper I I, the impactmember I Il being held in the position shown by the full lines in Figure3. The impact member I IJ is then pivoted in a counter-clockwisedirection about the tip portion I9, as indicated by the dotted lines inFigure 3. As is indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2, the normalposition of the leg I3 in its unsprung position is slightly to the rearof the front face of the bumper Il. As the upturned end portion I of theleg I3 approaches the top of the bumper II, the leg I3 is swungoutwardly so that the upturned portion I5 rides on the front face of thebumper and nally snaps into position behind the bumper, as is indicatedby the full lines in Figure 2. Due to the fact that the portions I5 andI1 hook under the bumper II and the tip portion I9 hooks down over thebumper II, it is apparent that a very rm and secure engagement is madebetween the impact member I0 and the bumper II. Furthermore, it is to benoted that this particular design adapts itself to being mounted on avery wide variety of bumpers without appreciably changing the generalshape or design of the impact member I0. Indeed, the only portion whichneed be altered to provide for a diierent style of bumper is to changethe shape of the portions I3 and I4 which intimately overlie the frontface of the bumper.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an extraordinarily. simple andyet eiective auxiliary massi impact member for vehicle bumpers which iseconomical to manufacture, which may quickly and easily be assembled ona vehicle bumper by an unskilled person, and which is rugged andreliable in use.

In Figure 4 of the drawings, I have shown an assembly of two auxiliaryimpact members 20 and 2| mounted on a vehicle bumper 22. The auxiliaryimpact members 20 and 2I are formed in precisely the same manner as thatdescribed in connection with Figures 1 to 3, and are assembled on thebumper 22 in the manner shown in Figure 3. By providing two auxiliaryimpact members in place of a single centrally disposed impact member, itis apparent that the protection which is afforded by the bumper assemblyis still further increased.

vIn Figures 5 and 6, a slightly modified form of the invention is shown.In this form of the invention, a U-shaped auxiliary impact member 23 isemployed having a central dome-shaped portion 24 and legs 25 and 26. Thelower end of the leg 25 terminates in an upturned hook portion which isprecisely the same as that shown at I5 in Figure 2. The leg 26 isprovided with an upturned portion 21 and a laterally extending portion28, the end of which portion 28, instead of being bent upwardly and overthe bumper II, is apertured for the reception of a suitable mountingbolt 29 which extends through the bumper II and the lateral portion 28into threaded engagement with a suitable nut 30.

In Figures 7 to 10, there is illustrated a form of the invention inwhich a centrally disposed impact member I of the type shown anddescribed in connection with Figures l to 3 is shown mounted on thebumper II, together with two additional auxiliary impact members 3I and32.`

These additional auxiliary impact members 3I and 32 are provided withl adiierent form of means for detachably securing them to an automotivevehicle, the front portion of which is generally indicated in Figure 8by the reference numeral 33. Each impact member 3I and 32 is formed-inthe shape of a loop having a leg portion 3d which extends downwardlyover the front face of the bumper Il in intimate contact therewith, anda second leg portion 35 which terminates in a U-shape end portion 36having a laterally extending tip 3'I thereon. 'I'he end of the leg 34 isformed in precisely the same manner as the leg I 3 of the centralauxiliary impact member I 0 and terminates in an upturned end portionI5, such as that shown-in Figure 2 of the drawings for engaging the rearface of the bumper I I.

As is clearly shown in Figure 8, the leg 35 of each impact member 3| and32 does not engage the bumper II, but rather extends into securingengagement with the supporting arms 38 and 39 which support and securethe bumper II to the vehicle 33. As is clearly shown in Figure l0, theendof the leg 35 of each impact member 3| and 32 is hooked under thesupporting arm 38, and the tip portion 3'! extends across the top of thesupporting arm 39. It will thus be apparent that the auxiliary impactmembers 3| and 32 may be readily and quickly mounted in desired positionon the vehicle 33 by moving the tip portion up between the widenedportion adjacent the bumper II and between the arms 38 and 39, so thatthe U-shaped'portion extends around the arm 38. The entire leg 35 isthen moved backwardly until the tip portion 31 rides over the top of thearm 39, and the leg of the U- shaped portion 36 between thearms 38.and39 is tightly wedged therebetween. The leg- 34 ci each impactmember 3|and 32 is then sprung downwardly over the front face of the bumper" I|`to permit the upturned end portion-l5 thereof to be hooked under thebumper I I. A f

From the above description, it will be apparent that I 'nave provided avery simple and Vyet effective assembly of auxiliary impact members formounting on the front of a motor vehicle which will greatly increase theprotection afforded the various relatively expensive front portions ofthe vehicle, including the ornamental radiator grille and fenders.

In Figures 11 to 14 of the drawings, I have illustrated a differentembodiment of this invention. An auxiliary impact member 4B is shown asbeing mounted on a bumper 4| by having portions thereof adapted to besnapped around the bumper into securing engagement therewith. Moreparticularly, the impact member 4|! includes a substantiallysemi-circular impact portion 4|@L which terminates in two end portions43 and 44. The end portion `44 is a relatively short upturned endgenerally similar in shape and function to the upturned end l5 of theimpact member lil shown in Figure 2, which is adapted to engage the rearface of the bumper 4|. The end portion 43 is a relatively long portionwhich extends up behind the bumper 4| in a portion 45, then downwardlyand across the front face of the bumper 4i in an arcuate-shaped portion46, and finally hooks over the bumper 4| with a tip portion 4l. 'Ihelower part of each side of the semicircular portion 4 |a is adapted tointimately overlie the front face ofthe bumper 4| in the mannerindicated at 48 in Figure 13.

The impact member 464 may, of course, be formed in a wide variety ofmanners, but it is preferably formed from a circular piece of resilientmetal stock, such, for example, 4as spring steel which is severed at onepoint around vthe circle and then folded into the shape shown in Figure1l. The manner in which the impact member 4&3 is mounted on the bumper4| is illustrated in Figure 14. The right side of the impact member 40is iirst hooked under the bumper 4| by passing the main portion 4 la upover the front face of the bumper 4| and the arcuate portion 46 upbehind the rear of the bumper 4|, until the impact member 4i) hasassumed the position shown by the full lines in Figure 14. The impactmember 4B is then rotated in a counter-clockwise direction until thearcuate portion 4E has been hooked over the top of the bumper 4| in themanner shown by the dotted lines in Figure 14.

As the arcuate portion 46 is being moved down over the upper part of thebumper 4|, the left side of the semi-circular portion 4|a is swungoutwardly causing the upturned end 44 to ride down over the front faceof the bumper 4| until it is snapped under the lower edge of the bumper4|. The action of theupturned end 44 and the position of the left sideof the semi-circular portion 4 la as it is being moved down over thefront face of the bumper 4| is clearly shown by the dotted lines inFigure 13. It will be seen that the impact member 40 is now firmly andsecurely attached to the bumper 4|.

From the above description of the several embodiments of the inventionwhich have been illustrated by the various gures of the drawings, itwill be apparent that I have provided an extraordinarily simple and yeteffective auxiliary impact member for vehicle bumpers which maybereadilyand quicklymounted in desired posi- Vof my invention, it will,of course, be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, sinceY many modifications may be made, and I therefore contemplate by theappended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of my invention. Y

I claim as my invention:

l. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliary impactmember having means thereon for making a detachable snap-on engagementwith a Vehicle bumper, said engagement with said bumper being soarranged as to resist tortional forces therein caused by heavy impactblows on any part of said auxiliary impact member.

2. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliary impactmember having integral means thereon adapted to make a detachablesnap-on engagement ,with a vehicle bumper, said means constituting thesole attaching means for securing said impact member to said bumper,said engagement with said bumper being so arranged as to resist heavyand sudden torques caused by impact blows on any part of said auxiliaryimpact member.

.3. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliaryimpact member formed of a single strip of resilient material having apair of legs, one of said legs being shaped to hook under a vehiclebumper, and the other of said legs being shaped to partially curl aroundsaid bumper, thereby to detachably secure said member to said bumper,said engagementl of said legs with said bumper being so arranged as toresist tortionalforces therein caused by heavy impact blows on any partof said auxiliary impact -member.

4. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliary impactmember shaped to form a central arcuate impact portion, and having endportions adapted to hook under a vehicle bumper and support the memberthereon, said end portions constituting the sole attaching meanstherefor, said engagement'of said end portions with said bumper being soarranged as to resist heavy and sudden torques caused by impact blows onany part of said auxiliary impact member.

5. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliary impactmember shaped to form a central arcuate impact portion, and having oneshort and one long. end portion, said short end portion being adapted tohook under a vehicle bumper, and said long end portion being) adapted toextend under and upwardly behind said bumper, and nally down over aportion of the front face of said bumper.

6. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliary impactmember shaped to form a central arcuate impact portion, and having oneshort and one long end portion, said short end portion being adapted tohook under a vehicle bumper, and said long end portion being bent toextend part way across said central arcuate portion behind said bumperand terminating in atip portion bent to hook over said bumper.

7. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliary impactmember shaped to form a central arcuate impact portion, and having oneshort and one long end portion, said end portions being adapted to hookunder a vehicle 4bumper Yand said long end portionsbeing adapted toextend under and upwardly behind said bumper, then lengthwise of thebumper at the rear thereof, and terminating in a tip portion bent tohook over said bumper.

8. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliary impactmember comprising a circular strip of resilient metal stock which hasbeen foldedback on itself along a line substantially parallel to adiameter of the circular strip, one of the lines of fold being in closeproximity to the ends -of the circular strip, thereby providing a shortfolded end portion and a long folded end portion, said long folded endportion having a central part thereof folded forward on itself.

9. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliary impactmember comprising a circular strip of resilient metal stock which hasbeen folded back on itself along a line substantially parallel to adiameter of the circular strip, one of the lines of fold being in closeproximity to the ends of the circular strip, thereby providing a shortfolded end portion and a long folded end portion, said long folded endportion having a central part thereof folded forward on itself alonglines of fold substantially parallel to said first lines of fold.

10. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliaryimpact member comprising a circular strip of resilient metal stock whichhas been folded back on itself along a line substantially parallel to adiameter of the circular strip, one of the lines of fold being in closeproximity to the ends of the circular strip, thereby providing a shortfolded end portion and a long folded end portion, said long folded endportion having a central part thereof folded forward on itself alonglines of fold substantially parallel to said first lines of fold, thevertical distance between said first and second lines of fold beingsubstantially equal to the vertical width of the bumper upon which theimpact member is to be mounted.

11. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliaryimpact member comprising a semi-circular strip of resilient materialhaving one end thereof folded back on itself to form a short upwardlyturned end portion and the other end folded back on itself to form arelatively long arcuate shape end portion which extends 'substantiallyacross but slightly less than the width of said impact member, anintermediate portion .of said long end portion being folded forward onitself, said short and long end portions being adapted to hook under andover a vehicle bumper.

l2. As an article of manufacture for vehicle bumpers, an auxiliaryimpact member comprising a semi-circular strip of resilient materialhaving one end thereof folded back on itself to form a short upwardlyturned end portion and the other end folded lback on itself to form arelatively long arcuate shaped end portion which extends substantiallyacross but slightly less than the width of said impact member, anintermediate portion of said long end portion being folded forward onitself, said long end portion being 'adapted to extend upwardly behind avehicle bumper on which the impact member is to be mounted, thendownwardly over a portion of the front face of said bumper, and finally-to hook over the top of said bumper, and said short end being adaptedto hook under said bumper.

13. With a vehicle havinga bumper supported thereon by a plurality ofarms, the combination of a centrally disposed auxiliary impact membermounted on said bumper, and a pair of additional `laterally extendingauxiliary impact members one on each side of saidv first auxiliaryimpact member, each of said additional auxiliary impact members havingone end thereof detachably secured to said bumper and the other endthereof detachably secured to said bumper supporting arms.

14. With a vehicle having a bumper supported thereon by a plurality ofarms, the combination of a centrally disposed auxiliary impact membermounted on said bumper, and a pair of additional auxiliary impactmembers one on each side of said first auxiliary impact member, eachhaving one side thereof detachably secured to said bumper and the otherside thereof detachably secured to said bumper supporting arms, and thesecuring engagement for said impact members being provided by foldedportions of said members which extend above and below said bumper andsaid bumper supporting arms.

15. Asan article of manufacture, a bumper guard constructed to beapplied vertically to the bumper bar and to be angled under pressure inthe direction of the length of the bumper bar into wedged retainingengagement with the bar, said guard having angled portions movable inopposite directions to grip the bumper bar and impelled into operativegripping position by pressure applying means, said angled portionsincluding two legs each having a hooked end, one hooked end opening inone direction to engage one edge of the bumper bar and the other hookedend opening in an opposite direction to engage the other end of thebumper bar.

16. As an article of manufacture, a bumper guard comprising a sectionhaving one portion formed to iit around the upper edge of said bumperand another portion formed to lit around the lower edge of said bumper,and said section being provided with means for applying forces to saidsection tending to rotate said section about an axis transverse to theplane of said bumper to keep said portions tightly engaged with theedges of said bumper and retain said guard in place.

17. In a bumper guard structure, means for increasing the impact area ofa bumper comprising one portion formed to interlock with the bumper whenit is rotated in one direction, a second portion formed to interlockwith the bumper when it is rotated in a direction opposite to the firstdirection, and means acting jointly on said portions for holding saidportions in the positions in which they are interlocked with saidbumper.

18. In combination with a bumper comprising a front bar and a pair ofarms supporting one end of said bar, an auxiliary impact member havingone end hooked under one of said arms and over the other of said armsand having the other end hooked under said front bar.

19. In combination with a bumper comprising a front bar and a pair ofarms supporting one end of said bar, an auxiliary impact member havingone end hooked under one of said arms and over the other of said armsand having the other end extending down over the face of and hookedunder said front bar.

20. An auxiliary impact member adapted to be snapped onto a bumperhaving a'front bar supported at one end by a pair of arms, said membercomprising a curved bar with one hook at one end adapted to hook underone of said arms and over the other, and a hook at the other end adaptedto hook under said front bar.

. GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

